This invention relates generally to metallic clothing with teeth having a double-angled profile, a tapered tip, and a radiused point for use on carding segments and carding flats.
Carding flats and stationary carding segments are generally used in carding machines about the main carding cylinder and produce a carding interface therebetween. Carding flats may also remove trash and non-spinnable fibers during carding. Conventional carding flats often involve the use of flexible wire clothing, which is attached to the flats themselves via adhesive, or some other fastening means. The flexible clothing is produced by providing a flexible substrate, which could be fabric, rubber, plastic, leather, or some combination thereof. The wire clothing is essentially "stapled" through the substrate. After the staples have been inserted through the substrate, the ends of the staples, i.e., the "wires," are subsequently bent at a forward angle and are ground to produce a desired profile.
Production of flexible clothing is relatively labor-intensive and expensive because of the required bending and grinding of the wires after their insertion through the substrate.
Metallic clothing is also known. Metallic clothing does not require a pliable substrate as does flexible clothing, but instead is comprised of a series of wire segments which are stacked side-by-side against each one another in a channel formed in an elongated holder. This holder can be produced of a material such as plastic, or some other material, and is subsequently attached to the flat or carding segment itself via adhesive, clips, or some other fastening means. The advantages of metallic wire clothing are that it is easier to produce and offers longer life. However, in certain applications metallic clothing may tend to not remove trash and non-spinnable fibers as well as does conventional flexible card clothing.
Accordingly, there exists a need for metallic clothing having an improved ability to remove trash and non-spinnable fibers.